English: Members of the 3rd Infantry Regiment (Old Guard) carry the casket of Frank Buckles to be buried at Arlington National Cemetery. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Memorial Day is the day that the federal government set aside to officially recognize the men and women who have given their lives in service to their country. Now, I know not everyone supports the military, and I suppose I have to be okay with it, since thousands of men and women died to give you that right. I, however, DO support our troops, past and present. I may not always support their actions, or the intent of those giving the orders, but I do support the men and women who sacrifice their time, health, and all too often their lives for my right to think, act and talk any damn way I see fit.

So, in honor of this federally appointed holiday, and countless hours of paid time off of work for millions of Americans, I have compiled a list of things you may not have known about Memorial Day:

Memorial Day is to acknowledge those in the military who lost their lives during an American war, not veterans who died during peacetime.

Memorial Day was originally called “Decoration Day” because of the decoration of graves that occurred.

The red poppy is a traditional symbol of this day, and in 1924, an artificial poppy factory was created in Pittsburgh, PA, and employed veterans who needed work. Continue reading →